Elton Brand
|+ style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%; color:white background-color:clear" colspan="2" |' ' |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Brand playing for the Mavericks. |- |- Position |Power forward |- Personal information |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'Born' | Cortland, New York |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'Nationality' | American |- Physical stats |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'Listed height' | 6 ft 9 in (2.13 m) |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'Listed weight' | 254 lbs (109 kg) |- Career information |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'High school' | Peekskill High School (NY) |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'College' | Duke (1997–1999) |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'NBA Draft' | 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |Selected by the Chicago Bulls |- | style="vertical-align: top;" |'Playing career' | 1999–2016 ( years) |- Career history |- |1999–2001 |Chicago Bulls |- |2001–2008 |Los Angeles Clippers |- |2008–2012 |Philadelphia 76ers |- |2012–2013 |Dallas Mavericks |- |2013–2015 |Atlanta Hawks |- |2016 |Philadelphia 76ers |- Career highlights and awards |- | colspan="2" style="text-align: left" | *NBA co-Rookie of the Year (2000) *2× NBA All-Star (2002, 2006) *All-NBA Second Team (2006) *NBA All-Rookie First Team (2000) *NBA Sportsmanship Award (2006) *AP Player of the Year (1999) *USBWA College Player of the Year (1999) *Naismith College Player of the Year (1999) *John Wooden Award (1999) *Adolph Rupp Trophy (1999) *Sporting News Player of the Year (1999) *NABC Player of the Year (1999) *ACC Player of the Year (1999) *Consensus first team All-American (1999) |} Elton Tyron Brand (born March 11, 1979), is an American former professional basketball player who played as a Power Forward in the NBA. Early life Brand was born in Cortlandt Manor, New York. At the age of thirteen, he enrolled in Peekskill High School, where he was immediately added to the varsity basketball roster. He averaged 40 points and 20 rebounds per game, played AAU basketball with future NBA playersLamar Odom and Ron Artest, and by his senior year he was consistently ranked among the top high school basketball players in the country and was selected as New York State Mr. Basketball. At the same time, he became something of a cult hero in Peekskill, helping his team win two state championships while demonstrating a humble calm and intelligence. The former Governor of New York, fellow Peekskill native George Pataki, was once asked about being the town's favorite son, and he answered that he was not the favorite but Elton Brand was. Recruited heavily after his successful high school career, Brand decided to enroll at Duke University alongside a cluster of other high school stars, including Shane Battier. College As a sophomore, Brand was the dominant inside presence for a Duke team that is widely regarded as one of the most talented teams in recent NCAA history. After leading the Blue Devils to the championship game of the Final Four—where they were upset by theConnecticut Huskies—Brand was named the consensus National Player of the Year. He subsequently decided to leave Duke after his sophomore season and apply for the 1999 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the first pick. Brand, along withWilliam Avery and future teammate Corey Maggette, was one of the first players in Duke basketball history to leave school early for the NBA Draft. All three entered the NBA draft instead of returning to Duke. NBA career Chicago Bulls (1999–2001) In his rookie season, Brand averaged 20.1 points and 10 rebounds per game. His only frustrations came as a result of the Bulls' losing record —- he had come out on the losing end of very few basketball games before coming to Chicago. In May 2000, Brand shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis. Through much of the 2000–01 season Brand was hailed as the linchpin of a possible new Chicago dynasty. Brand averaged 20.1 points-per-game and 10.1 rebounds per game; his 3.9 offensive rebounds per game were the second-best in the NBA. Los Angeles Clippers (2001–2008) After two successful seasons with the Bulls, Brand was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001 for Brian Skinner and the draft rights to Tyson Chandler.1 In 2002, Brand became the first Clipper since Danny Manning (in 1994) to be selected to the All-Star team.2 When Brand became a restricted free agent in 2003, the Miami Heat made an offer worth $82 million over six years.3 In what was an unprecedented move by team owner Donald Sterling, the Clippers matched Miami's offer and managed to keep Brand a Clipper. Prior to this, the biggest contract Sterling had approved to that point was a five-year, $15 million deal for Eric Piatkowski in 1998.4 In the 2006 NBA season, Brand experienced a personal renaissance. He posted career-highs in points per game (24.7) and field-goal percentage (52.7), while leading the Clippers to a 47–35 record, good enough for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. In February 2006, Brand was selected to the 2006 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve forward for the West. As a result of his individual prowess and the Clippers' recent success, many analysts[who?] believed that he was a strong candidate for Most Valuable Player for the 2006 season; however, Steve Nash went on to win the award. On April 22, 2006, Brand made his playoff debut scoring 21 points against the Denver Nuggets. On May 1, Brand helped lead the team to its first playoff series win since 1976, when the team was known as the Buffalo Braves. Although the Clippers eventually lost in game 7 of the second round (Western Conference Semifinals) against the Phoenix Suns, the Clippers had the best season that their franchise had ever seen. Brand received the Joe Dumars Trophy after being named the 2005–06 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner.5 Following his stellar 2005–06 season, Brand regressed somewhat in the following season. His scoring average in 2006–07 dropped and the Clippers missed the playoffs. He missed most of the 2007–08 season due to a ruptured left Achilles' tendon. However, Brand made his return to the Clippers' lineup April 2, 2008 after being out since the end of the previous season. He contributed 19 points in his return. Brand played in only eight games that season. Brand opted out of the final year of his contract and became a free agent. However, he said that he hoped to resign with the Clippers. He gave up the $16.4 million on the last year of his contract with the Clippers to test the free agent waters. According to ESPN, sources have reported that Brand chose to opt out from his contract in order to provide Clippers with more payroll flexibility in hopes of strengthening their roster. This came to fruition when Clippers landed Golden State Warriors star Baron Davis. Briefly, this gave Clippers' management and the media the reassurance that Brand would indeed resign with the team. Philadelphia 76ers (2008–2012) On July 9, 2008, Brand signed a five-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, a team in which Brand had previously stated to have an interest. It was announced on February 5, 2009 that Brand would have season ending shoulder surgery for the injury he sustained on December 17, 2008. During the game that night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Brand dislocated his shoulder when he was knocked to the floor while going for a rebound. Brand had been coming off of the bench so that he could be slowly worked back into the lineup, but after over a month on the bench and only six games back during which his production was severely limited, the decision was made to go forward with the surgery. The procedure was successfully performed on February 9. On July 11, 2012, Brand was released from the 76ers using the NBA's amnesty clause.The Sixers will pay Brand the remainder of whatever remains from his $18.2 million deal that is not paid for by his new team. Dallas Mavericks (2012–2013) Philadelphia decided to use the one-time amnesty provision available since the new collective bargaining agreement had been put into place, thus foregoing the final $18.1 million owed to Brand in the last year of his five-year contract and not having it count against their luxury tax or salary cap.Brand was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Mavericks with a winning bid of $2.1 million. During the 2012-2013 season, he averaged 7.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg, and 1.0 apg in 21.2 mpg. He played 72 games and started 18 of them with the Mavericks. The Mavericks finished 41-41 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Atlanta Hawks (2013–2015) On July 15, 2013, Brand signed with the Atlanta Hawks. On September 23, 2014, he re-signed with the Hawks and changed his long-time jersey number of 42, to 7. Philadelphia 76ers and retirement (2016) On August 11, 2015, Brand announced his retirement from professional basketball. However, on January 4, 2016, he came out of retirement to re-enter the NBA, citing that Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski helped convince him to return to play. On September 7, 2016, Brand re-signed with the 76ers. However, on October 20, 2016, he announced his second retirement. Category:Born in 1979 Category:New York natives Category:Power Forwards Category:Centers Category:American basketball players Category:National Basketball Association players Category:Dallas Mavericks players Category:Philadelphia 76ers players Category:Los Angeles Clippers players Category:Chicago Bulls players Category:Chicago Bulls draft picks Category:NBA All-Star participants Category:NBA Rookie of the Year Award recipients Category:Associated Press Player of the Year Award recipients Category:Naismith College Player of the Year Award recipients Category:John Wooden Award recipients Category:Players who wear/wore number 42 Category:Players who wear/wore number 7 Category:Duke Alumni Category:Retired